I don't know anything about juvenile diabetes, but I just wanted to do this:

(((((Nicole)))))

Oh Nicole, I am sorry to hear this.
Yes, Ben can live a full life with diabetes but he is so young!

Juvenile diabetes is very prevalent in my husband's family. Two sisters and one niece were diagnosed during their teens.
One sister took very good care of herself and the disease and the other one didn't. Unfortunately the diligent sister was taken by cancer but her diabetes was under control. The other sister is in her late forties and her eyesight is failing. The niece does NOT take care of herself properly at all.

In my family my great niece was eight when she was diagnosed. The doctors believe her diabetes was caused by a viral infection and not genetics. She was rebellious at first about her disease and the restrictions. The first thing her parents did was put her on an insulin pump. Of course she's older than Ben but the pump eliminated a lot of needle-work, something young children (and with good reason!) learn to dread. The second thing they did was make the disease her responsiblity and helped her learn to make good choices, choices like 'I know tonight is a birthday party. I can have a piece of cake but I have to budget my sugar/carbs". This learning process of course will come later for Ben but I think a pump would be a very wise thing to get for him if the disease is progressed that far.

I believe it's believed (dumb way of putting that, huh) that diabetes takes a long time for the symptoms to appear.
Onset Diabetes, if caught early (which I think they have Ben...he's only two!) can be managed with diet and pills. Sometimes this holds off the disease forever; other times it doesn't.

I'm glad, even as sad as the diagnosis is, you are getting Ben on a regime while he is this young. He will grow up with what he has to do to control the diabetes.

I hope my words have helped.
My thoughts are with you!

Lori

(((((((Nicole & Ben)))))))))

Hang in there.....They are very close to being able to conquer juvenile diabetes. Sick Kids has been doing a lot of research in that area.

It does suck big time! If he does have it, they will get you quite involved and all of your questions will be answered by the dieticians and the diabetic clinic.

Nicole,
Can I email you tomorrow from my work email and I would be happy to send you what information I have at work on Juvenille Diabetes.

I don't know much about juvenille diabetes, but I wish the best for Benjamin!

(((((Nicole)))))

I found what looks like a good and active message board for mothers with kids who have JD.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mommies.com - Juvenille Diabetes

((((Ben, Mom, and Family))))

My best friend's DGS was diagnosed when he was 4 years old. He gets insulin injections. Things go pretty smoothly considering he is in school now and after school daycare. It just took a little planning and getting used to for his parents and daycare providers to plan his snacks, test his blood, etc.

Sending hugs to you and Ben.

Adding my prayers for Ben & Mommy too!

When I worked for a family practice, we would refer parnets to the site I listed below. They have a place for new diagnosis that is great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Juvenile Diatetes Foundation

My husband was in his early teens when he was diagnosed with it. It's tough, I won't lie to you, but there have been so many forward strides to this disease in the last decade, I have great hope for Ben. The worst thing (he says) is never having the opportunity to "have the day off" from it . . . and neither do we, his family. He's really 'hard- wired' with equipment (LOL), thank goodness he's a computer geek :) He has an insulin pump plugged into his belly, and another sensor plugged in that reads and graphs his rise and fall of blood sugar. The info all feeds into his computer, which he sends to his diabetes educator routinely. You will become an expert at it, believe me, and while it's overwhelming at first, it WILL get easier.
((Hugs to Ben and your whole little family))

Oh gosh Nicole! I don't know a thing about JD, but I wish I did just so I could help you!! Watch the sugar free stuff is all I have heard from a gal that has a DD with it. She says that some of the sugar free stuff is cr@p cause its so loaded with carbs.
I know you will get better advice from other people here that are more educated than me. But I can offer prayers and good wishes and tons of hugs!!!!

Hi Nicole,

What a difficult and scary time for you and your family -- my heart goes out to you.

I just wanted you to know that iVillage has some terrific resource on diabetes. In fact, the president and CEO of iVillage, Debi Fine, is the mother of a son with JD. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, so this is a subject near and dear to her heart. I've met her son and he is an amazing young boy. I was so impressed with how well he handles this disease -- and how the entire family pitches in with testing, giving injections, offering support. So, while I know this is such a difficult time for you, know that there are resources and support out there for all of you.

This is the main landing page for our diabetes information -- you'll find links to articles, message boards, and videos. Check out the video with Debi and her sons on the Today show.

As a mom, it's so difficult to think of your child in this situation. But, I know you'll be strong and Benjamin is a lucky little boy to have you.

With warmest regards,

Tamara
GardenWeb Community Manager

Here is a link that might be useful: Diabetes Resources on iVillage

No advise, just a hug and I hope you get a good night's sleep tonight, Nicole. Be sure to take care of you, sweets!

Thank you all so much. Benjamin and I both had a good sleep last night and are feeling better today. He slept snuggled tight to me all night.

I'm going to go and check out all the links when I get a chance later this morning.

Erin, I would love for you to email any information you have, thank you. My address is endorey@hotmail.com

Thanks again to all of you, with all my heart. I SO appreciate the support and hugs.

Just wanted to stress to you that this will have to be a family affair. If you model the right eating habits and lifestyle for Ben, it will be so much easier for him. Unfortunately, it will be harder for you. Thats what moms are for, though, huh? Best wishes, and keep us posted.

anette

Nicole my nephew was diagnosed when he was 7, he is 20 now. There was no "development" of it, by the time my sister noticed he was peeing a lot and brought him to the doctor he had it. Yes, it was rough going and getting used to his several needles a day but he's had the insulin pump for a few years now and frankly he is the healthiest of the family! Not overweight because he really has to watch his food intake to keep his blood sugar regulated. He is attending college now to become a paramedic and often when they are given things to do he knows a lot more than the other students (for example, this week they were learning how to do IV's and his instructor said he was a pro at it, my nephew said he's used to doing that dort of stuff with the tubing for his pump).

I can imagine what you are going through, no one wants to see their child sick and diabetes is a life-long thing (for now, who knows what medicine will come up with in the next few years). Good luck with it all!

Nicloe, there isn't much more that I can say that others have not already said. I am so sorry that poor little Ben and his family have to face this illness. I know you must be heart broken and afraid of what lies ahead. My daughter was 10 when diagnosed. That was 38 years ago. Even though treating the disease was much harder then, I know that a 10 year old can be reasoned with a little easier than a 2 year old.

The onset for my dd was sudden. The only sympton at least to me was that for two or 3 days, I noticed that she was drinking a lot. The first time she got up in the middle of the night to pee, I knew something was wrong. Had her at the clinic the next day. The doc sorta pooh poohed my request for diabetes testing, but did as I requested. Would you believe that back then the only quick test was from a urine specimen. DD was in the hospital within an hour after that test.

No matter how much easier staying well despite having diabetes has become in the last 20 years, raising a child with it will involve a tremendous amount of time tending to all the facets of good care. Your life will run almost with a stop watch for awhile. But in time it will all become routine and you will be able to relax and enjoy little Ben and his childhood. I don't know at what age an insulin pump is considered for young children, but when he is ready for it, everything will get much better/easier. A nephew of mine who was diagnosed at 7, got his pump at 10. I know it can be done younger than that.

Great big hugs to you, your husband, Sophie and Ben. Diabetes is a family affair.

I have no advice. I wish the best for Ben and your family.

(((Nicole & Benny))) Poor little Benny sure has been through a lot in his life hasn't he? You and Claude must be so worried and overwhelmed with this new diagnosis.

I'll add a link to the Diabetes Association in your area. They have a parent support group and if you contact them they should provide you with a wealth of information.

Two of one of my best friend's children were diagnosed with juvenile diabetes when they were 1 and 3 at the same time. Marilyn was told they contracted it through a viral infection. Both those kids are in their late 20's now.

Being so little Marilyn didn't have to worry about them wanting the sugary foods or them feeling deprived because they couldn't have them. Monitoring them was the hardest part because children are on the go and exercising all the time. Of course the kids hated the finger pricking and the insulin shots but then they had to use a syringe. Nowadays injections are easier and less painful because of the new pens that have the thinest of needles. You can even get test kits that will allow you to test on your arm instead of pricking your finger. I know how painful that can be and if you have to do prick Benny's little finger you will cry just as hard as he will. I know I did whenever I had to test my Mom. She would just look at me with these big eyes knowing the pain was coming.

As the kids got older because they were away from home more often they did their own testing and injections. Marilyn didn't have many problems with her son but her teenaged daughter rebelled and didn't want to follow the diet, didn't want to test herself and didn't want to take her insulin. She felt restricted and their were complications along the way. She did start taking better care of herself but just before she got pregnant with her first child she had to have eye surgery for retinopathy.

My other best friend Vicki has had juvenile diabetes most of her life. She felt sorry for herself when she was a teenager and still does sometimes at the age of 51. Diabetes becomes a way of life. As hard as my friend tries and she follows her diet and does everything right her sugar levels are rarely under control. She has tried different types of insulin, met with dieticians and Doctors. She said the only time her sugar was under control was when she was pregnant. Vicki gets frustrated because eating right, testing your blood before every meal and more when she doesn't feel right and taking insulin before every meal is time consuming. She just can't sit down and eat like we all can. She can eat everything though and doesn't feel deprived unless she really wants to eat a lot of something that isn't so good for her and knows she can't. Vicki hasn't experienced any health problems related to her diabetes. She just gets tired of doing what she has to do to keep her blood sugar normal.

Benny can still be a normal little boy just with monitoring and the hated testing and injectionsn. Holidays, even Halloween can just be as fun he just can't eat much of the candy. Chips and cheesepuffs, etc are good. Marilyn would buy her kids candy from them and donate it to a shelter.

I think it is going to be more tough on you Nicole but you will get into the swing of things. Counting, measuring, reading labels can be time consuming but you will learn pretty fast and get into a routine.

Give Benny Boy and Sophie a hug for me and one for you and Claude too. I really missed you guys at Christmas this year.

Anne

Here is a link that might be useful: Oakville Diabetes Association

Nicole-I don't know too much about JD, but my mom was diagnosed with Diabetes this past summer. She changed her eating habits and lost some weight, but with exercise and meds, she has it under control. She always keeps an eye on it, but it other then the above, her life hasn't changed that much.

I agree that the whole family should adopt healthier eating habits, so Ben doesn't feel like he is the exception. And yes, be careful of the sugar free thing-seem like most has a lot of sugar alcohols and hard to pronouce names that is really just different types of sugars. I'm sure insurance would pay for a nutritionist to help figure out Ben's new diet plan. Maybe since he is so young, he'll adjust quickly and feel like it's always been something he does.

So BIG (((hugs))) for you and Ben!! Poor guy has had a rough few years! Sometimes I think it's worse on the parents! Hang in there Momma!!

I've had Juvenile Diabetes since I was twelve and I am now sixty six and still pretty healthy. Life is so much easier now with the monitors and needles than when I was a kid that it is much easier to keep under control. It just becomes a way of life and sometimes I think I am lucky because I learned at a young age how to eat healthy and how many calories were in foods. You don't slowly "develop" Type I or Juvenile Diabetes and there are no pills for it but they are making a lot of new developments. The pills are for Adult Onset or Type II.

Good luck to you and Ben and God Bless him and you. Take good care of him. He can live a long and fairly healthy life if he takes care of himself.

My DD developed diabetes in 4th grade. She is 15 now. Don't worry, Ben won't be the only one in school with diabetes, its more common than you would think. Losing weight, drinking a lot, always being hungry, and peeing a lot are major symptoms. Researchers are very interested in studying how diabetes develops and are looking for kids such as Ben. I remember seeing signs about it at the Dr's office. There is talk around here that our local university is testing what could be a potential cure. I remember when Ben had his seizure and they gave you the glucagon kit. That is something all diabetics must have in case of a severe low blood sugar. We have never had to use ours fortunately. Dd was great as a kid doing everything right. Once she got to be a teen, its more of a struggle. She knows she should, but teens rebel. Here is the research info is anyone is interested. I heard after this article appeared, they were inundated with calls from people volunteering to take part in the research.

Here is a link that might be useful: University of Central Florida